Belgian newspaper: Google blocking us on searches

By the Associated Press | July 15, 2011 | 1:14 PM EDT

BRUSSELS (AP) — At least three Belgian newspapers are reporting Google is preventing their web sites from being found through its search engine as part of a legal fight accusing the American-based company of copyright infringement.

A Google spokesman said Friday it was required by a Belgian court order to block the searches. Google searches Friday for the newspapers — La Libre, Le Soir and La Capitale — did not show their web sites.

La Capitale said Google was "boycotting" it.

In 2006, Copiepresse, representing several Belgian newspapers, sued Google, saying it had no right to post unauthorized links to newspaper stories on Google News. Google lost in May. A company spokesman said the decision applied to Google Index as well as Google News and the company feared significant fines.